Apparatus for acting on chemical compounds



p 1934- v. T. MALCOLM 1,975,063

APPARATUS FOR ACTING ON CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS Filed Sept. 28, 1935 INVENTOR. Zkzaazff Mai ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 25, 1934 APPARATUS FOR ACTING 0N CHELHCAL (JOMPOUNDS Vincent 'r. Malcolm, Indian Orchard, Mesa, as-

signor to The Chapman Valve Manufacturing Company, Indian (Ii-chard, Mass a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 28, 1933, Serial No. 691,379

5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for acting upon chemical compounds and is directed more particularly to improvements in apparatus for dissociating chemical compounds.

The principal object of the invention is directed to the provision of apparatus for dissociating and ionizing chemical compounds in order to produce one or all of the constituents of the compounds in a substantially free and active state. A further object of the invention is to provide a dissociating unit whereby the electrolytical ionization of chemical compounds is activated and the constituents of the said compounds are disunited in a relatively short time.

It is desired to distinctly point out that the apparatus of this invention is adapted for many and varied uses but it has been found particularly satisfactory in connection with the dissociating of gaseous compounds and more especially in connection with the disuniting of ammonia gas into its constituents, nitrogen and hydrogen.

This application is a continuation in part of an application, Serial No. 667,677, filed by me in the United States Patent Oifice on April 24, 1933. It was set forth therein that by means of a novel method there disclosed it is possible to treat relatively low-priced, and perhaps inferior, steels in such a way that they will have the desirable characteristics of more expensive or special steels and that desirable and improved surface hardening of such'steels may be accomplished at unusually low cost.

According to the invention set forth in that application, I subject a flow of ammonia gas to an ionizing electrical discharge and thereby I make it possible to provide substantially active or free nitrogen to a suitable hardening bath. In that way I have been able to hasten and improve the hardening action.

According to the present invention, I provide novel apparatus for efliciently bringing about the electrolytic ionization whereby chemical compounds are dissociated. That is to say, the apparatus of the present invention is adapted to disunite a chemical compound such as ammonia gas and produce the constituents thereof in a substantially free and active state in a relatively shorter time and more effectively than has hitherto been possible.

Various other novel features and further advantages of the invention will be more fully hereinafter referred to in connection with the accompanying description thereof. The novel apparatus of the invention may take various forms and may be adapted for various uses without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broader aspects and I therefor do not desire to be limited to the form shown in the drawing below, but if at all by the appended claims. In the following description reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of the invention partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a cross section view of the apparatus on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the electrodes of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, the apparatus of the invention will be described.

A tubular shell or body member 3 of suitable non-conductive material, such as bakelite, is shown in Fig. 1. This member preferably has upper and lower flanges 7 and 4 respectively. A base member 5 of suitable insulating material is secured in some manner as by bolts to the lower flange 4. The base substantially closes the lower 30 end of the tube 3 and is provided with an inlet pipe 6 leading thereinto.

An upper cap member 8 of insulating material is secured to the upper flange '1. This-is provided to substantially close the upper end of the tube 3 as shown. This cap member 8 has an outlet pipe 9 extending outwardly therefrom. The inlet pipe 6 is connected in some manner to the suitable container or tank containing the chemical compound or compounds to be dissociated.

The outlet pipe 9 is connected in some manner to the place which is to be supplied with the active elements. That is to say, in the case of dissociating ammonia or other nitrogen-containing gas, the outlet would lead to a furnace or furnaces containing a suitable hardening bath. The cap 8, base 5 and body 3 thus provide a closed chamber having inlet and outlet openings, 6 and 9 respectively.

What may be called a spreader base member 10 is provided within the tubular shell 3. The base member 10 is of metal and preferably is in the form of a ring 10' having inwardly extending arms 12. These arms 12 support an upwardly extending shaft 14 which is preferably disposed centrally of the ring 10' as shown in Fig. 2.

0n the upper end of the shaft 14 is a central electrode or spreader member 16. The spreader member 16 is preferably star-shaped substantially as shown in Fig. 3. In this way, a multiplicity of points 17 are provided for purposes which will shortly appear.

The base member 10 has a terminal 20 connected to a source of electrical energy. In this way, the base and its supported spreader member serve as a central electrode.

An upper ring-like member 21 is disposed in some 'manner in the upper part of the shell 3. This ring-like member 21 is preferably substantially similar to the ring 10' of the base 10 and is so disposed that it surrounds but does not touch the spreader member 16.

. The member 21 has a terminal 22 which, like the terminal 20 of the base 10, is connected to a source of electrical energy. In this way, the member 21 becomes an outer electrode within the closed chamber.

when the electrodes are energized, current passes therebetween. Thus, chemical compounds led into the chamber are electrolytically ionized and dissociated.

When a gaseous compound, such as ammonia gas, is admitted to the chamber through the pipe 6, it passes upwardly between the shell and spreader member and is disunited. Its constituents are then substantially active and free and ready to be delivered through the outlet pipe 9.

It is desirable that the electrodes of the unit be included in a circuit of relatively high potential with the amperage maintained at about .2 at 10,000 or 12,000 volts. In this way when the electrodes are energized there is provided around the star-shaped spreader 16 a glow or corona eifect as distinguished from an arc.

In some cases, it may be desirable to provide a rheostat in the circuit to overcome objectionable sparking, but this is not an essential part of the invention and need not be considered further.

I have found that by ionizing compounds according to this apparatus, it is possible generally to provide approximately four volumes of an active constituent from one volume of the original compound. Not only, therefore, does the apparatus make it possible to deliver elements which are free from the restraining effects of other elements, but it is possible to provide larger amounts of an element in a shorter period of time.

While I have described my invention in great detail and with respect to preferred embodiments thereof, I do not desire to be limited by such detail or embodiments since various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broader aspects. Hence, what I desire to claim as new and secure (by Letters Patent of the United States is: 7 I

1. An apparatus of the class described for acting upon chemical compounds comprising in combination, a closed chamber having an inlet opening in the lower side thereof and an outlet opening in the upper side thereof, a metal base member in the lower part of said chamber supporting a metal shaft, a metal spreader member on the upper end of said shaft, a metal ring-like member in the upper part of said chamber, said base and ring-like members each being connected to sources'of electrical energy whereby electrical current of such a nature that a silent discharge is obtained, may be passed between said spreader member and said ring-like member.

2. An apparatus of the class described for acting upon chemical compounds comprising in combination, a closed chamber having an inlet opening in the lower side thereof and an outlet ope: ing in the upper side thereof, a metal base in the lower part of said chamber supporting a metal shaft, a metal spreader member on the upper end of said shaft, a metal ring-like member secured to the upper part of said chamber and out of contact with said spreader member, said base and said ring-like member each being connected to sources of electrical energy, all adapted and arranged whereby a chemical compound may be introduced into said chamber through said inletand electrical current of such a nature that a silent discharge is obtained, may be passed between said members to act upon said chemical compound.

3. An apparatus of the class described for acting upon gaseous compounds comprising in combination, a closed chamber having an inlet opening in the lower side thereof and an outlet opening in the upper side thereof, a metal base in the lower part of said chamber supporting a metal shaft, a metal spreader member on the upper end of said shaft, a metal ring-like member secured to the upper part of said chamber and out of contact with said spreader member, said base and said ring-like member each being connected to sources of electrical energy, all adapted and arranged whereby a gaseous compound may be introduced into said chamber through said inlet and electrical current of such a nature that a silent discharge is obtained, may be passed between said members to act upon said gaseous compound.

4. An apparatus of the class described for acting upon chemical compounds comprising in combination, a closed chamberhaving an inlet opening in the lower side thereof and an outlet opening in the upper side thereof, a metal base in the form of a ring secured to the lower part of the inside of said chamber and having inwardly extending arms supporting an upwardly extending shaft, a metal spreader member on the upper end of said shaft, a metal ring-like member secured to the upper part of the inside of said chamber and out of contact with said spreader member, said base and said ring-like member each being connected to sources of electrical energy, all adapted and arranged whereby a chemical compound may be introduced into said chamber through said inlet and may be dissociated by electrical current of such a nature that a silent discharge is obtained passing between said spreader and ring-like members.

5. An apparatus of the class described for obtaining a silent electrical discharge for acting upon chemical compounds comprising in combination, a closed chamber having an inlet opening in the lower side thereof and an outlet opening in the upper side thereof, a metal base member including a ring of a certain diameter associated with the inside of the lower part of said chamber and arms extending inwardly from said ring and supporting an upwardly extending shaft, a metal ring-like member substantially equal in diameter to said ring associated with the inside of the upper part of said chamber, a metal spreader member of less diameter than said ringlike member on the upper end of said shaft out of contact with said ring-like member, said base member and said ring-like member being connected to separate sources of electrical energy, all adapted and arranged whereby a silent electrical discharge may be obtained within said chamber and a chemical compound may be introduced into said chamber through said inlet and dissociated by said electrical discharge.

VINCENT T. MALCOLM. 

